Delhi HC blast: Framing of charges on Sept 4

A court in New Delhi has reserved for September 4 its order on framing of charges against Wasim Akram Malik, arrested for his alleged role in the last year's terror attack at the Delhi high court.

District Judge H S Sharma, who is holding in-camera proceeding in the case, has concluded hearing of arguments on charge against Malik and has reserved it for September 4 for his order on framing of charges, said court sources.

Besides Malik, Amir Abbas Dev was also arrested by the National Investigation Agency for his alleged role in the blast at the high court's reception on September 7, 2011, but during the proceedings, he had turned approver for the probe agency and is presently in judicial custody.

Dev had earlier recorded his statement in-camera before a magistrate in New Delhi in connection with the case after he had moved the plea to become an approver.

The statements recorded by a magistrate under section 164 of the CrPC binds a person to it and any deviation from it during the trial makes him liable to be prosecuted for the offence of perjury.

The NIA had filed charge sheet against six, including three arrested accused Malik, Dev and a minor, besides three others -- Amir Kamal, Junaid Akram Malik and Shakir Hussain Seikh alias Chota Hafiz, who are alleged members of banned terror outfit Hizb-ul Mujahideen and are evading arrest.

The minor's case is being adjudicated separately. The NIA had said the September 7, 2011, terror attack at the Delhi High Court reception was plotted with an aim to getthe death sentence of the December 2001 Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru commuted to life term.

The charge sheet against the accused was filed under various sections of the IPC dealing with murder, criminal conspiracy, waging war against the nation, attempt to murder, causing grievous hurt and others.